Scioscia seems settled on rotation vs. Rangers

Weaver slated to go in Tuesday's opener, followed by Wilson and Greinke

By Vinnie Duber / MLB.com

KANSAS CITY -- Angels manager Mike Scioscia has a somewhat clearer picture of what his starting rotation could look like for next week's series against the Rangers.

Careful to use phrases like "looking at" and "penciled in," Scioscia gave tentative pitching probables of Jered Weaver for Tuesday's series opener, followed by C.J. Wilson and Zack Greinke.

Monday's off-day could have been used to give everyone an extra day of rest, but it looks like Weaver, Wilson and Greinke will all pitch on regular rest. Ervin Santana, whose spot in the rotation is due up after the series in Kansas City, will likely be rescheduled after taking a ball off the forearm in his last outing.

"Ervin just got smoked on the forearm, with which you might want to take a couple more days. You might want to take advantage of that," Scioscia said. "But Ervin's pitching well, too. We need five guys pitching well.

"Some setback a little bit as far as when he's going to throw his 'pen and everything, but that's not the determining factor. It's part of it."

Scioscia said that Santana will probably throw a couple of light bullpen sessions between now and his next start, starting with one this weekend.

"All five guys are going to pitch. This next series is not really a series of matchups. We're putting guys out there that we think are pitching well," Scioscia said. "We'll look ahead to see how things are lining up during the end of our homestand, and then we go on the road. Right now, I think those three guys are guys we want to get out there."

Iannetta becoming Angels' rock behind plate

KANSAS CITY -- Angels catcher Chris Iannetta is assuming the role of an iron man behind home plate.

Iannetta has caught in every game this month, getting his 13th start in 14 September contests on Saturday against the Royals. He returned to the lineup on July 29 after missing nearly three months with injuries to his right thumb and forearm.

Did his time away contribute to less fatigue as the season winds down?

"I think it's a double-edged sword," Iannetta said. "If you're playing every day or you've played the whole season, then you build up this functional endurance throughout the course of the season that gets you in shape for this time of year. Obviously, there's a fatigue involved with that. Then you take three months off or you lose three months, you work out as hard as you can and you run and you lift, but nothing really equates to that functional endurance. I don't really know. I've been playing the majority of the time this time of year. I would say it feels about the same."

In 38 games since coming off the DL, Iannetta hit .281 with five home runs and 14 RBIs. He said he feels good at the plate and that getting things going on the offensive end has made things more enjoyable.

"Anytime you have some success, it's always comforting, it's always fun," Iannetta said. "It makes the game that much more fun. The game itself is fun, but when you're succeeding it's even more fun."

Trumbo fondly recalls prodigious Derby blasts

KANSAS CITY -- Mark Trumbo recently did some reminiscing in the Angels' dugout about his glory days at Kauffman Stadium.

The infielder was answering questions from a couple of teammates regarding his performance in the 2012 Home Run Derby, which took place in Kansas City on July 9. Trumbo hit 14 home runs that night, many of the tape-measure variety, including the one that landed on the roof of the Royals Hall of Fame.

"They asked about a couple of them," Trumbo said. "I tried to point them out, which one my favorite one was and some other stuff like that."

Trumbo's favorite was his line-drive shot to center field. But what about the one that hit the roof?

"That was cool, too," he said. "It was a blast. It was a really fun time, and I definitely have fond memories of what I was able to take away from that."

Since, though, Trumbo hasn't been able to replicate the production that earned him a spot on the American League All-Star team. In 53 second-half games entering Saturday, he's hit just .215 with only eight of his 30 total home runs. He's also seen increased off-days this month, and he was again out of the starting lineup on Saturday.

Trumbo, though, did single and score on pinch-hitter Kendrys Morales' game-tying home run in the eighth inning of Friday night's 9-7 win over the Royals. He agreed that it could be something that gets things going in the right direction.

"It was nice to contribute in that way," Trumbo said. "I've got to take care of my own business. As far as being able to score a run, that was great."

Vinnie Duber is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.